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Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Databases Galore - 16

Fig. 1

I. Background

In a recent post (PSMSL Update - 2) I mentioned that data on tide gauge stations around the world was sparse for 2015-2016.

I contacted PSMSL by email, writing:

"Greetings,

I am an avid fan of PSMSL. The current download ("02 Jan 2017") does not have many stations with 2016 data.Are all those stations offline ... not reporting to you any more?Or am I missing something ... no pun intended.

Thank you in advance for your help."

PSMSL responded:

"Dear Dredd

The monthly means within the PSMSL database are supplied by a large

Fig. 2

number of dedicated data suppliers. Before forwarding the sea level data to us these authorities are required to quality control the data. This can take time. Hence the PSMSL is still receiving data values from 2015. The sea level data for 2016 will be available as it is supplied to us. Our top priority is to release the data values to users as soon as possible so the 2016 data will be available from our website as soon as we receive the data.

I hope that clarifies the situation."

II. While Waiting For PSMSL Updates ...

I got the idea to try to find a database from NSIDC that contained the dataset of the Arctic and Antarctic sea-ice, and was successful (NSIDC Antarctic, NSIDC Arctic).

Fig. 3

So, while we wait for officials around the world to send in their data to PSMSL, we will delve into sea-ice datasets of Antarctic sea-ice as well as Arctic sea-ice.

Fig. 4

III. Benefits of Datasets

In today's post I will show some of the benefits of having the datasets, rather than relying exclusively on the graph styles already available online (such as Fig. 7).

Fig. 5

Those graphs are fine and excellent, however, one cannot blend the JPEG graphs with datasets (e.g. think PSMSL, CSIRO, and WOD datasets).

Fig. 6

But, if we can combine air, land, and ocean temperature datasets with the sea ice datasets there is a chance for clues to the relationship between them.

IV. Variations on Graphs

As shown in Fig. 1 - Fig. 6, we can use the datasets to look at the same data in different ways.

Fig. 7 As of January 17, 2017

The graph at Fig. 1 and Fig. 6 show the trend lines for both sea ice maximum and for sea ice minimum over decades, rather than for only the current year.

The graph at Fig. 3 shows the current year, 2017, in a way that clearly depicts how anomalously low the sea ice extent is for this time of year.

And it does so in the linear format of Fig. 1 and Fig. 6.

We can also present the data in the NSIDC format (Fig. 7) with the large curvy lines showing the annual oscillation during winter as compared to summer as shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 4, and Fig. 5.

I hope to be able to present some Antarctic dataset graphs in the next day or so.

V. Conclusion

No matter how we look at these datasets, the message coming through to current civilization is loud and clear.

The sea ice is in global warming induced transition.

It is going extinct in a historically slow, but consistent rate.

Not only that, it is doing so way before the close observers thought it would.

And even that surprising quickness is accelerating before our very eyes.

The next post in this series is here, the previous post in this series is here.

" And even that surprising quickness is 'accelerating' before our eyes."

And how!

When 'nature' wants a job 'completed' ( in this case, ice melted) she typically finds the most efficient pathway. And sometimes, these pathways are not visible / understood until their processes are engaged.

"About 15,000 years ago, the ocean around Antarctica has seen an abrupt sea level rise of several meters."

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